Primary and secondary projectile



March 2 9, 1966 MALTER 3,242,866

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PROJECTILE Filed Sept. 25, 1964 FIG. I

l NVEN TOR.

\ 24 RICHARD 1.. MALTER ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fiice 3,242,866 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 3,242,866 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IRQJECTILE Richard L. Malter, 241 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, N31. Filed Sept. 25, 1264, Ser. No. 399,219 6 Claims. (Cl. 102-91) This invention relates to improvements in projectiles in which the bullet portion really consists of two parts, namely, the bullet proper and a separable husk designed to act as a secondary projectile.

The general objects or this invention are thus to provide ammunition wherein the novelty is concerned with the bullet or projectile portion consisting of two parts, one of which serves as a primary bullet and the other a secondary bullet, effective as such at shorter ranges. I The full object of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings as exemplary of the invention.

In those drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical central cross sectional view through the barrel of a firearm and muzzle attachment, showing a portion of the firing chamber with the bullet of this invention in place;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the muzzle of the firearm barrel, showing the bullet of this invention partially ejected from the barrel proper;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the projectile at a later stage with the bullet fully ejected from the barrel and the bullet parts separated;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a still later condition, wherein the bullet has been sent into flight and the secondary bullet is about to issue from the muzzle attachment of the rifle barrel;

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are elevational views of structurally different forms of the secondary bullet portion of the projectile.

The projectile of this invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with a firearm and muzzle attachment of special form, which assembly is disclosed in somewhat greater detail in my issued Patent No. 3,138,- 991, issued June 30, 1964.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a rifle, for example, of which the barrel 10 with its internal rifling 12 is of part. Mounted in the muzzle end of the barrel is an attachment 14, comprising a sleeve with a plurality of laterally opening ports and a nosepiece 16 having an exit passage 18, the entrance end of which is of conical shape. As disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, the sleeve of the attachment forms a chamber aligned with the bore of the barrel and an exit passage also aligned therewith, but of lesser diameter. This attachment is an example of a bullet stabilizing and recoil reducing muffler, which in this case is specifically designed for special cooperation with the projectile of this invention.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the complete bullet S consists of a shell casing for containing the explosive loading, a firing cap, not shown, and the projectile I-IB of this invention. This projectile consists of a secondary bullet 22 and a primary bullet 24. In this art the secondary bullet 22 is in some respects similar to a so-called husk, such as that referred to in the above patent. In accordance with this invention the husk is designed to have a mass and flight adapting it for use as a secondary bullet, effective at ranges shorter than that of the primary bullet 24. For example, the range for the secondary bullet will be of the order of 50 to 100 yards. Significantly, this husk 22 is designed to be from to 15 times heavier than the husk disclosed in the above patent, which is not intended to serve as a secondary bullet. As

a further indication of the intention for a firearm with a bore diameter of 0.308", for example, the husk portion 22 will weigh from 25 to 50 grains. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the husk or secondary bullet 22 consists of a cylindrical body of suitable material, most commonly copper or aluminum, and, therefore, relatively easily expandable and compressible. The external diameter of the body portion will, of course, be selected so as to have a proper fit within the bore of the barrel and normal cooperation with its riflin-g 12. As shown, the forward end of the cylindrical body is provided with a chamber 26, which is open and has a diameter to provide a friction fit with the primary bullet 24. Likewise, the rear end of this body is provided with a chamber 28, which is also open at one end. The adjacent inner ends of the chambers 26 and 28 are defined by a wall 29. It is preferable, but not necessary, that the thickness of the wall of the chamber 28 will decrease at a uniform rate towards the open end of the chamber, as illustrated.

A modified husk 122 is shown in FIG. 5. In this form the wall of the chamber 28 is slitted or slotted, as shown at 30, and preferably, as illustrated, there are at least two of these slits or slots in diametrically opposed relation. More than two slits or slots can be used, but in all cases it is preferable that they be uniformly positioned in circumferential relationship.

The husk 222 of FIG. 6 is generally the same as that of FIGS. 1 and 5, but in this case the slits or slots 32 are provided in the Wall of chamber 26 only.

In FIG. 7 the husk 322 is provided with slits or slots 30 and 32 in the walls of both of the chambers 28 and 26.

As suggested above, the primary bullet 24 has a friction fit in the chamber 26 of the husk 22. This bullet can have all of the known or conventional characteristics in the art of ballistics.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, the intended functioning of the subject matter of this invention will be described. When the gun is fired, the explosive charge will react to substantially instantaneously form a gas mixture of very high pressure in the usual manner. The pressure of these gases will start the ejection of the bullet HB, sending it down the bore of the barrel and setting it into high speed rotation in the usual manner. However, as the assembly issues from the muzzle of the barrel the high pressure of the gas behind it will cause the wall of the husk 22 to instantaneously expand, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to the extent permitted by the inner wall of the chamber of the attachment 14. As soon as the bullet HB passes beyond the first of the apertures in the wall of attachment 14, some of the gases escape, causing a drop in the forward force of the gases. This aids in disengaging the bullet 24 from the husk 22. The slits or slots 30 when used aid in this rapid expansion of the walls of the rear chamber 28. With suitably selected materials the same result will occur, even though there are no slots or slits. In order to appreciate that this expansion is inevitable whether or not slits or slots are used, it will be recalled that the gas pressure in the barrel behind the projectile is extremely high. As illustrated in FIG. 3, there is sufficient retardation in the travel of the husk 22 so that the primary bullet 24 will overcome the friction fit between them and the primary bullet 24 will separate from the husk in the chamber of the attachment 14. The enlarged tail end of the husk resulting from the expansion of the portion forming the chamber 28 shields the primary bullet 24 from the disturbances normally caused by these gases, so that the bullet issues from the exit passage 18 of the nosepiece 16 in a very steady condition to insure proper line of flight. This steadiness, of course, is further contributed to by the centrifugal forces involved in the high speed of rotation of the bullet 24 resulting from the barrel rifling. The resulting gyroscopic action produces the usual stabilizing forces to cause the bullet to follow a true line of flight.

The diameter of the exit passage is such as to provide a light friction fit with the primary bullet 24 further aiding to steady its flight.

The husk 22 will trail the bullet 24 and will be further retarded in its flight by the forces exerted by the conical entrance end 20 of the exit passage 18 as the expanded rear end is swaged back to uniform diameter, which condition is caused by the fact that the diameter of the passage 18 provides a sung fit with the husk. During the period of travel of the husk through the passage 18, the high pressure gases in between are discharged radially through the ports in the sleeve to provide the usual recoil compensation.

By reason of the snug fit between the exit passage 18 and the husk 22, the husk also is stabilized so that as it moves into the air it will be stabilized on the line of flight. It too is controlled by the centrifugal or gyroscopic forces which applied to the bullet 24 so as to have a steady flight, although a shorter effective range, as previously discussed above.

In the case of the husk of FIG. 6 the forward chamber 26 is slitted or slotted so that its wall can expand, but to a much lesser degree than in the case of the rear chamber, as previously described. This aids in the separation of the primary bullet 24 from the husk 22. It is estimated that the expansion forces at the rear end of the husk are of the order of 100 times greater than the expansion forces at the leading end of the husk.

In the form of husk illustrated in FIG. 7, with both ends slitted or slotted, as described above, the walls of both chambers can expand. As explained above, the wall of the rear chamber will expand more and more rapidly than the wall of the forward chamber does, so that all of the advantages of the other forms of husk are obtained.

It will be apparent therefore from the above description that the subject matter of this invention can take various specific forms. It is also apparent that by means of this invention the projectile comprises two parts which have been designated as the primary bullet 24 and the secondary bullet 22. The nature of this disclosure is such that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other variations of the details in this subject matter can be made without departure from the primary substance of this invention, and it is preferred that the scope of protection afforded hereby be determined by the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile for use with a gun barrel having a projectile bore, and a projectile stabilizing means at the exit end of said barrel having an apertured husk and gas confining cylindrical wall forming a chamber with an internal diameter greater than that of said bore, said means having a projectile guiding exit passage having a diameter less than that of said bore and providing a light press fit for said projectile and a compression fit for said husk, said means also having a conical passage converging into said exit passage and acting to contract said husk for movement through said passage, comprising a separable husk and bullet, said husk having a cylindrical body forming front and rear cavities each opening outwardly at their respective ends and defined at their inner ends by a wall, said bullet being mounted in said front cavity, the wall of said rear cavity being expansible into contact with the wall of said chamber by the pressure of the ejection gases to assist its detachment from said bullet.

2. The projectile of claim 1 being further characterized in that the wall of said rear cavity is slotted.

3. The projectile of claim 1 being further characterized in that the wall of said front cavity is slotted.

4. The projectile of claim 1 being further characterized in that the walls of said rear and front cavities are slotted.

5. The projectile of claim 1 being further characterized in that the wall of said rear cavity tapers in thickness toward its open end.

6. The projectile of claim 1 being further characterized in that the wall of said rear cavity tapers in thickness toward its open end and is provided with slits.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,137,195 6/1964 Rosenberg 10295 3,138,991 6/1964 Malter 89-14 3,164,092 1/1965 Reed et a1. 1O2----95 3,170,405 2/1965 Jungermann et al. 10291 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,218 5/1854 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

R. V. LO'ITMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PROJECTILE FOR USE WITH A GUN BARREL HAVING A PROJECTILE BORE, AND A PROJECTILE STABILIZING MEANS AT THE EXIT END OF SAID BARREL HAVING AN APERTURES HUSK AND GAS CONFINING CYLINDRICAL WALL FORMING A CHAMBER WITH AN INTERNAL DIAMETER GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID BORE, SAID MEANS HAVING A PROJECTILE GUIDING EXIT PASSAGE HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THAT OF SAID BORE AND PROVIDING A LIGHT PRESS FIT FOR SAID PROJECTILE AND A COMPRESSION FIT FOR SAID HUSK, SAID MEANS ALSO HAVING A CONICAL PASSAGE CONVERGING INTO SAID EXIT PASSAGE AND ACTING TO CONTRACT SAID HUSK FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID PASSAGE, COMPRISING A SEPARABLE HUSK AND BULLET, SAID HUSK HAVING A CYLINDRICAL BODY FORMING FRONT AND REAR CAVITIES EACH OPENING OUTWARDLY AT THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS AND DEFINED AT THEIR INNER ENDS BY A WALL, SAID BULLET BEING MOUNTED IN SAID FRONT CAVITY, THE WALL OF SAID REAR CAVITY BEING EXPANSIBLE INTO CONTACT WITH THE WALL OF SAID CHAMBER BY THE PRESSURE OF THE EJECTION GASES TO ASSIST ITS DETACHMENT FROM SAID BULLET. 